Picnic Gone Wrong
by sugarspiceandsin
Summary: A attack  by bandits reveals secrets, unintentionally or not. MerlinxArthur. Magic reveal. Some fluffy fluff.


_**As always, I hope you enjoy this and please R&R if possible! Just a little thing I thought of whilst I was walking the dog today. Merlin does not belong to me.**_

Merlin's POV

Of course, the attack had to take place whilst it was just Arthur, Gwaine, Percival and I out on one of Arthur's stupid hunting trips. It was the first speeding arrow that imbedded itself in a tree next to Gwaine that alerted us to the fact that we weren't alone. Before we'd even had time to recover from the unexpected disruption, bandits were running towards us from all sides, swords held high and war cries on their lips.

For the first couple of minutes everything was fine, Arthur, Gwaine and Percival were cutting down bandits left right and centre and I was watching from the sidelines, taking out as many bandits I could secretly with my magic. I was so focused on protecting Arthur and the others that I didn't notice my own predicament until it was too late. A broad, grimy bandit stepped up in front of me and with a sadistic grin sunk his sword into my stomach. I gasped, not from the pain, but from the sensation of the blade slipping through my skin, tearing me open. Looking up into the nameless bandits face, I wondered if it would be the last I would see as his smile grew and he twisted the blade sharply. A whimper escaped through my sealed lips, the pain made me want to cry out for Arthur, but I couldn't allow his concentration to slip whilst he was fighting, his life was worth much more than mine ever would. However, the bandit seemed unsatisfied with my lack of verbal response and jerked his sword violently. I could feel my blood dripping down my skin, leaving red tracks to mark me, the burning pain flared with each minuscule movement of the bandit and I couldn't stop the ragged cry that cut through the air. I heard Arthur's answering shout of panic and felt my own mounting panic rise to an uncontrollable level, my magic bubbling is my veins like fire. What was going on behind the bandit? I couldn't see how Arthur, Gwaine or Percival were fairing; I couldn't protect them if I couldn't see them. How could I carry out my destiny if there was no Arthur to protect? My secret hidden love for him flared with grief at the thought of Arthur's death and I wished for nothing more than to see his face one last time, or to hear his voice give me one last chore. Instead I heard him shout out again, closer this time, the sound filled with surprise and pain.

My panic peaked, I closed my eyes and let go.

_Arthur's POV_

I heard a cry laced with pain and glanced around quickly to determine the state of my knights and Merlin. Gwaine and Percival seemed to be unscathed, still fighting the bandits perfectly, but I couldn't see Merlin anywhere and after this quick conclusion I felt my heart contract painfully with fear. I'd lured him out of the castle under the pretence of a hunting trip when really I'd had a picnic set up and was planning to tell him my feelings for him. If he was now hurt because I'd made him come out with me today...

"Merlin!" I shouted in panic.

There were bandits everywhere, rushing in and attacking at every moment, but my determination to find Merlin made me ruthless, I cut down any person who came towards me, striding through the fighting toward the place I thought the cry had originated from. Nothing could have prepared me for the scene I saw when I reached the edge of the clearing the attack had taken place in, Merlin, white faced and determinedly holding in his pain, skewered on the end of a bandit's sword. Pain gripped my own insides, as though I was the one on the end of the sword and I cried out from shock. The bandit spun around to face me, leaving Merlin to crumple to the ground, but before I could even lift my sword to kill the man he disintegrated, along with every other bandit in the clearing. I heard Gwaine curse loudly from shock and then rush towards Merlin, who I couldn't take my eyes off. A golden mist surrounded him, flecked with blue specks which reminded me of the ball of light I'd seen once in that cave years ago.

The light swirled around Merlin, pulsating slightly, when suddenly three strands broke off and headed toward Gwaine, Percival and I. Rooted to the spot with shock none of us did anything as the strands reached us and formed our own little golden mists around us. The mist was... comforting, it felt like an old friend, it felt like _Merlin_ and it lingered for a moment or two before moving back to Merlin. When I looked down at my hands to see if I was really in the same state I was before the golden mist I was surprised to note that some of the cuts I'd received whilst fighting had healed and I didn't feel exhausted like I usually did after a battle. Gwaine's curse assured me that I wasn't the only person to benefit from our brush with magic.

Just then the light surrounding Merlin started moving aggressively and Gwaine started forward but once he was about a foot away from Merlin he was moved backwards by a strand of light. He pulled out his sword and charged, possibly meaning to cut at the light, but the next strand touched his forehead and he fell to the floor unconscious. Percival ran toward him, assured he was alright and then sat there staring at the light.

"Do you think its hurting Merlin?" he murmured.

Fear and anger waged a war inside me and with no care about the consequences I moved forward purposely to Merlin, ignoring Percival's shout of protest. I made it all the way to the light without being blocked like Gwaine was, so I reached out a hand and stuck it into the mist. It felt welcoming which I took as a sign to go ahead so I did, kneeling down next to Merlin's body and letting my tears drip down my face. I hadn't even realised I was crying. I pulled Merlin's head onto my lap and watched a couple of my tears drop onto his cheeks.

"Come on Merlin," I whispered brokenly, "you can't leave me. We have too many adventures to have yet. Please come back to me. Please, I don't know what I'd do without you. It'd be my entire fault if you died, please wake up. We were supposed to be having a picnic right now," I laughed without any humour and paused to choke back a sob, "I was going to tell you everything. All the little pieces of me you've never understood, an explanation for my behaviour around you. You see Merlin, you're the only true friend I've ever had and I... I love you. I know it's no romantic declaration of love, but it's true and..."

I buried my face in his beautiful inky hair and sobbed.

_Merlin's POV_

I wanted nothing more than to comfort Arthur as I heard him drop down beside me and cry, I didn't want him to cry, he didn't need to cry for me. Then he started talking and I wanted to answer him but my consciousness was fading and I had no strength left, I couldn't even open my eyes. My hearing was growing fainter and my fingertips cold, I hung onto every word I could hear coming from Arthur as they would be the last I'd ever hear.

"It'd be my entire fault..."

No that's not true, I wanted to shout, I should have been paying attention, I can actually look after myself you clotpole. I was so annoyed at him for thinking that that I missed part of his monologue.

"We were supposed to be having a picnic right now..."

Picnic? He didn't ask me to set up a picnic for him! Besides I thought we were here to go hunting! He would have been furious if we had turned up and there was no picnic there.

"... only true friend I've ever had and I... I love you"

I love you. I _love_ you. I love _you_. His words kept repeating themselves in my head as I felt him bury his face in my hair. They swirled around expanding my heart dramatically to such large proportions that I thought it would burst, filling me up with warmth and making my own love leap with happiness. I could not die now. With my remaining strength I took a deep breath and focused my magic. I could feel my body begin to heal, my flesh knit back together and my insides sowing themselves into their proper positions, I heard Arthur's intake of breath but didn't stop.

When I finally opened my eyes it was to see Arthur's face, his red rimmed eyes, a look of hope shining through and when I gave him a grin a relieved smile answered. Then I noticed the golden mist around us and turned to face him, sheepish.

"You idiot, if you knew you could heal yourself why didn't you in the first place?" he smiled at me fondly, "None of us were hurt, so you didn't even need to heal our tiny cuts and bruises."

"You're not mad at me? I swear I've never used my magic to cause any harm, it's my destiny to protect you, that's all I've ever used it for!"

"I believe you," he looked at me thoughtfully, "but destiny, truly? What does this destiny entail?"

I smiled, "It says that I was to protect you until you became the King of Albion, where we would rule together."

"Together, I like the sound of that."

"As do I," I whispered and with that I moved and kissed him.

"It seems I need to get another crown made," he laughed once we had parted.

True to his word, the next morning a crown arrived, but being in the king's chambers I didn't see it until the evening.


End file.
